Zechariah 1:1–6

A PLEA FOR REPENTANCE

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius,a the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariahb son of Berechiah, son of Iddo: 2 “The Lord was extremely angry with your ancestors.c 3 So tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: Return to me—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—and I will return to you, says the Lord of Armies.d 4 Do not be like your ancestors;e the earlier prophets proclaimed to them:f This is what the Lord of Armies says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.g But they did not listen or pay attention to me—this is the Lord’s declaration. 5 Where are your ancestors now? And do the prophets live forever? 6 But didn’t my words and my statutes that I commanded my servants the prophets overtake your ancestors?’ ”

So the people repented and said, “As the Lord of Armies decided to deal with us for our ways and our deeds, so he has dealt with us.”h